Name : Rosabella Zuntivai Mobijohn Student I.D : 7185569 Assignment Title : Individual Essay Module : AC1.2 Architectural Context Module Code : ARCS445 Submission Date : 16th April 2018
Is technology the answer to sustainable architecture?
In a world “expected to hit 9.8 Billion by 2050” (United Nations News, 2017), the challenges of increasing supplies to meet future prodigious quantity of demand are unprecedented. Today, people all over the world have always faced forces undermining their sustainable present and future. With a vast list of problems without any available solutions, it continues to rapidly grow. Given the current unsustainable conditions of our planet, everyone needs to ponder on ways to end, introspect and evaluate the choices of tools and paths of yesterday. We need to work out a master plan for a sustainable future immediately. Clearly, continuing down the path we are in is not a choice our earth can sustain. Architecturally, sustainability impacts the architect’s intentions. Therefore, let us discuss the connection between architecture, technology and sustainability and whether or not technology is the solution for sustainable architecture.
To understand architecture and technology in depth, we can reminisce and browse through the history of their relationship which is understood from the architecture that is still standing today through our past forefathers. Every determinable style of design all through history have, somehow, been a response or an impression of the lifestyle, occasions and technologies of their era. Furthermore, influence such as how religion shows characteristics throughout the era and designs of the mosques, monasteries and churches that is still standing today. The historical background of civilisations were the tale of the advanced developments of mankind’s body, mind and soul which in response has developed and distinguished the art of architecture. When mankind crawled out from their caves to establish on the surface of the earth with first apprehension to construct safe shelters and sanctuary with any materials that was accessible close within reach. In the forest he utilised wood, in rocky and rough areas, he utilised stone and when nor was
accessible, mud was the way. The complexity with which they built over time the remaining physical remnants has reflected the social and scientific development of an era. Never before seen technologies which allowed exceptional innovations in designed buildings that left histories throughout the social attitude of its concept and built form. Furthermore, the architecture and technology that was influenced had dramatically revolutionised with the rise of the Industrial industry. Technology with its influence on ideology and architecture are imperative to note as it has controlled the social conduct that beforehand influenced architecture, which led it towards negligible functionalism. In addition with the emergence of modernism, the Industrial Revolution led to a machine aesthetic, shaping the latest architectural approaches. Such as new-age philosophies as well as theories on society, functionalism and futurism. As we endeavour on implementing sustainable goals that has accepted our past actions and intercede with new solutions, the consequences of our exponential modern ascent through the twentieth century will now be addressed.
Furthermore, it was the first time in history that the energy resources of the earth could be utilised then exploited to manufacture for a better and more advanced society. A key period in architectural and social developments was when industrial revolution was revolutionised. The outcome this had on our identity, architecture and our culture were far reaching and greatly guided to a second great revolution in which is the more recent digital information era. Currently, the social identity has doubtlessly been defined by the complete range of technological advancements in the last century. “A twofold increase in electronic processors every 2 years� (Moore, 1965) which Moore’s Law predicted proved accurate. As expanding growth in information and digital technology that encouraged us to produce rather than consume, the Post-Industrial age designed a content society that was unwilling and unaware to make room from the well-being that our advances had yield
us. Hence, it led to increased social connectivity and globalisation. Across North America and Europe, the explosion of post-war consumerism created a huge economic prosperity and growth. It was just by the last 50% of the century that we began looking into and archiving the environmental impacts of our ways of life we were having on the planet.
In a time of increasing demand for sustainable solutions, we are witnessing the emergence of an advanced paradigm in which an intensified use of technological solutions are helping and allowing us to increase the precision of manufacturing and design of our building to be more sustainable. Additionally, it has too encouraged a novel sense of materiality in architecture in which can be both physical and conceptual, technical and poetic, analogue and digital and the list goes on. High tech and low-tech systems are categorised into two categories. Low-tech solutions are designed to be as simple as possible which are indirect and passive solutions that normally used in a building to improve comfort based on the environmental conditions which aims to make the building less dependent on the use of technology . In other words, the term can also be known as old technology that is out of date. Low-tech solutions techniques such as natural Ventilation, passive cooling and sun shading that manipulates environmental conditions. If any doubts as to whether it is possible to made be made to succeed, Figure1. (Carlo Baumschlager & Dietmar Eberle, 2013) oďŹƒce block Lustenau located at Austria is one good example of low-tech solutions architecture that may be the future benchmark of architecture. The five story oďŹƒce block manages completely without ventilation, heating or cooling.
Figure 1 : OďŹƒce block Lustenau, Austria by Carlo Baumschlager and Dietmar Eberle,2013.
Furthermore, Low-tech solutions are highly sustainable as they do not increase the energy input or output during its inhabitance or construction of a building. Rather, they redirect current environmental resources to make conditions as comfortable as possible for human occupation. To sum it all up, Low-tech solutions are easy to deploy, economical and adaptable. On the other hand, High tech solutions are new technology with improved advancement of features which use technological innovations to enact “smart” systems that will adjust and oversee the feature and characteristics of a building alongside human needs. Buildings that are able to automatically clean themselves with “smart windows”, controlled air conditioning, expressed construction, light weight materials and internal service zones thats able to create flexibility of a space rather than a sequence of a room or a room itself. Figure 2. (Emmanuel Thirard,1977) Pompidou Centre located at Paris, France is one out of the many examples of high-tech solutions architecture.
Figure 2 : Pompidou Centre, Paris, France by Emmanuel Thirard, 1977.
The issue with the paragons of high tech solutions in buildings is that it gives the previously established inclinations of being sustainably practical through the idea that it decreases a building’s overall energy consumption in a “smart” manner, nevertheless it
does not put in consideration on the amount of energy which is consumed and obtained by the technologies that constructed the building.
Moving on, the innovation of technology has led desiring use and demand of high tech solutions toward sustainability of buildings which come from a pattern of increasing access to energy. There is a fundamental relationship between energy resources and technology. This concept was first popularised in the 70’s by economist Jeremy Rifkin whom conveyed that the gravitation towards the easiest forms of energy will be used by humans before they even develop more complicated and sophisticated technologies which will consume more energy resources. As a result, global population increased in which the continued cycle of demand of energy consumption increased as well. The use and maintenance of our buildings which comes from a third of worldwide CO2 emissions is the consequence of what we are currently experiencing. Our buildings need to prioritise energy efficiency by having a stabilised relationship balance between the input of energy and out of energy with benefits, as well as used resources. This doesn’t mean that the possibility of low-tech and high tech solutions can’t subsist together. The question is, will these technology solutions be the answer for a sustainable future? Ultimately, low-tech design and high-tech materials may be ideal when combined together in which it will be able to increase the goals of sustainability if designed in an architectural influenced way. For example, low-tech rammed earth with high-tech stabilisers in a design to maximise solar efficiency, while minimising high-tech sensors and controls. The use of natural properties of the materials to assure efficiency and comfort in the absence of , sensors, computer control, powers and so on. Needless to say, there is no need for high cost powered humidity control and monitoring if the properties of the materials stores the humidity in the comfort range naturally. Not only is day-to-day operating cost reduced, but the structure remains liveable if there is absence of power. If we want to make our buildings a step closer to being sustainable, we must constantly find a practical way to change the energy inputs into our buildings by altering the way we contrast, inhabit and design buildings. Thus, the outcome of the world we live in, where our methods towards
sustainable goals are not truly consistent. The use of energy is increasing, alongside human population and that the primary resources of energy we are using, are not renewable in which wont be able to meet future demands of the future. Endeavouring to mirror nature’s own ecological balance with the creation of our post-industrial philosophy simply cannot work on entropic values, where increased activity leads to confusion and chaos.
“This is possible. We did it!”, in May 2016 when Portugal went 107 hours entirely powered by hydro, solar and wind generated electricity showed that it is possible to replace fossil fuels. No one will be able to doubt and say in good conscience that it is impossible. No. It is possible. Portugal did it and it is possible to do so all over the world. It’s just a question of discovering the right way on how to do it. There is a possibility and opportunity in the future where a third revolution that is based on balancing and combining the demands of energy from the society in exchange with inherently sustainable energy resources such as solar, hydro, wind & gas. The influence of renewable energy that created electric cars which has enticed people to live entirely out of the grid. The attempt to harness our renewable energies can be aided by technology to be used as a tool for the solution, rather than as the solution itself. We are aware that this model has a future as we are able to see an increased percentage of these renewable systems in place. We can change the mindset towards how we build the future of our generation to come with the help of renewable resources. Creating new systems of design embedded in sustainable energy creations including utilisation within our built environment and successively impacting our future generation’s ideology. The correlation between science and technologies alongside our cultural identity will be permeated into our architecture and these changes will pave the way to more exciting opportunities and solutions for “the future of the city”.
To conclude, the progress of technology has always influenced architecture throughout any period. As a solution, true sustainability should influence and make us deeply aware of every aspect of the design process and the design itself. If we can come to understand that sustainability is a process opposed to an end product, we will put our incentive on the objective of being sustainable than finding sustainability. It is greatest when the act of system integration is considered a process rather than a physical outcome. Hence, It is therefore possible that technology is the answer to sustainable architecture. Technology holds its grip on architecture and its architect. Thus, technology must be constantly up to date in order to remain abreast of all technical developments in regards to the design, materials and construction of the building. We must change our solutions to the problems facing this world by changing the way we view the problems. “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created themâ€?, as said by (Albert Einstein, 1949). Possibly, with the greater implementation of renewable energy solutions, we will be creating equilibrium between the osets of energy inputs over outputs. We need to understand our role as creators to grasp and realise this value of opportunity to imbue a sustainable contribution to our world that will indisputably influence the future lifestyle of our generation and define our sense of identity before time runs out.
Bibliography
Clark, T (1992) Sustainable architecture: working for the environment, York: Institute of Advanced Architectural Studies, University of York.
Chernett, B (2018) Hi-tech Low-tech. The Architecture Schools Database. Available at: http:// www.architecturefoundation.org.uk/schools/design/hi-tech-low-tech/ [Accessed April 2, 2018].
Farmer, G & Guy, S (2006) Sustainable architecture: theories, discourses, practices, London: Routledge. Jones, S (2016) 'This is possible. We did it': the week Portugal ran on renewables. The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/dec/26/this-is-possible-we-did-it-theweek-portugal-ran-on-renewables [Accessed April 10, 2018].
Makakli, S (2010) Technology in architecture: the role and impact of technology on architecture, Saarbrücken, Germany: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing.
Nations, U (2017) World population to hit 9.8 billion by 2050, despite nearly universal lower fertility rates. United Nations News. Available at: https://news.un.org/en/story/2017/06/560022-worldpopulation-hit-98-billion-2050-despite-nearly-universal-lower-fertility [Accessed April 10, 2018].
Prakash, A & Rao, S (2017) Effect of Technology on Architecture. South Asia. Available at: https:// architexturez.net/doc/az-cf-168631 [Accessed April 8, 2018].
Rocca, A (2010) Low cost low tech Architecture. Low-resolution avant-garde inventions and strategies, Schio (Vicenza): Sassi. Spirandelli, M & Moro, M & Spirandelli, B (2011) The ecological house: sustainable architecture around the world, Vercelli, Italy: White Star Publishers.
Illustrations Figure 1 : Baumschlager,C & Eberle,D (2013) Office Block Lustenau, Austria by Baumschlager,C & Eberle,D (2013), viewed 10th April 2018,
<https://www.archdaily.com/451653/2226-be-baumschlager-eberle>
Figure 2 : Thirard,E (1977) Pompidou Centre, Paris, France by Thirard,E (1977), viewed on 10th April 2018,
<https://www.architecture.com/image-library/ribapix/image-information/poster/pompidou-centrecentre-national-dart-et-de-culture-georgespompidou-paris/posterid/RIBA3782.html>